Europe enters the ‘era of deportations’
EL PAÍS English • • world
Key Points:
- The EU has finalized a new Return Regulation establishing a legal framework for deportation centers outside Europe, with countries like Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands seeking host countries mainly in Africa to house migrants.
- Human-rights groups criticize the regulation, warning it could lead to indefinite detention, family separations, and harsh conditions similar to the US immigration enforcement model under Trump.
- The European Commission and supporters argue the regulation will improve control over migration and increase deportations, citing the current low return rate of rejected asylum seekers at 28%.
- Practical challenges remain, including finding host countries willing to guarantee migrants' rights and defining the conditions and terminology for these centers, with no clear limits on detention duration.
- Despite political consensus among many EU member states and MEPs, tangible progress on establishing these centers is limited, and key logistical and human rights concerns are yet to be resolved.